6 Skip-the-Line VIP Tours in Italy That Earn the Upgrade

1.David & Duomo: Accademia & Skip the Line Exclusive Dome Access

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 690 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $178Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide near Piazza San Marco for a 3.5-hour small-group tour of the Accademia and Duomo. You’ll see David and Michelangelo’s unfinished Slaves, enter the cathedral, visit its rare terraces, and climb Brunelleschi’s dome. Your 72-hour ticket also covers the Baptistery, museum, and crypt.

“This was a great tour. Nice, easy and short. The “skip the line” features were so worth paying for the tour! And starting early in the morning was ideal since it was so hot on the day we toured. Seeing The David in person was amazing. And climbing the Duomo was fantastic and had some great views from the top.”

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2.Exclusive Borghese Gallery Tour with Skip-the-Line Access

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $83

Spend two hours inside Rome’s Borghese Gallery with a live English-speaking art historian. See Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, classical antiquities, and the famous gladiator mosaic while your guide explains the stories behind the art. Headsets help you hear clearly in the small group.

“Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the two hours fly by. Thoroughly enjoyed all of the information he told us.”

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3.Exclusive First Access Vatican Tour with Skip the Line Basilica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 241 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $143

This English tour takes you through the Vatican Museums, Pio Clementino, Gallery of Maps, Raphael Rooms, and Sistine Chapel before providing priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica. Guides such as Monica, Laura, Sara, and Martina bring the art to life, while headsets help you follow along.

“We had an amazing time exploring the Vatican museum with our guide Laura. She was very knowledgeable and friendly and navigated us through the crowds. The art work is awe inspiring and she helped understand the intent and meaning of some of the most important ones.”

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4.Milan: Exclusive Access with Last Supper visit & Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 173 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $85

Meet your licensed guide at Santa Maria delle Grazie for a one-hour visit centered on Leonardo’s Last Supper. Guides such as Valeria, Martino, and Merica have led this tour, explaining Leonardo’s technique, Milan’s past, and the mural’s restoration. Timed entry is included, but security checks still apply.

“Knowledgeable guide who made the experience totally worthwhile giving the painting context and meaningful.”

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5.Saint Mark’s and Doge’s Palace: VIP After Hours Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · from $274

Meet your English-speaking guide under the winged lion in St Mark’s Square for a 3.5-hour visit to Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica. With a maximum of six people, you’ll cross the Bridge of Sighs, see the Pala d’Oro close up, and enter the basilica after regular visitors have left.

“Seeing the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica at night, when we basically had the places to ourselves, was completely worth the extra price. Sabrina was a wonderful guide. St Mark’s was particularly special, as (a) we got to see areas that would otherwise be off limits, and (b) they had the place almost completely dark, and turned on the lights slowly and in stages, gradually revealing the wonders of the mosaics.”

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6.Skip the line with exclusive entrance to the Pantheon

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $15Best value

Meet at Piazza della Rotonda for timed Pantheon entry and a short introduction to one of Rome’s great interiors. You’ll see the ancient dome, open oculus, and the building’s change from pagan temple to Christian basilica. The guide and ticket service are offered in English, with mobile tickets.

“Our tour guide never showed up. We were at the meeting location 15 minutes early as instructed and we waited until five after. We contacted him and 10 more minutes laterhe said there was a technical issue and he would not be showing up. He said he would send our tickets via WhatsApp. 38 minutes after the scheduled tour we finally bought our own tickets and went to the pantheon. Later, he sent us tickets and an audio guide. We were meant to have a guided tour. The pantheon was great. Do not miss it. But save yourself some money and some time and do not book a guided tour…”

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